Hot Wheels Legends Tour Goes Virtual for the Remainder of 2020

Source: Mattel

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another live event: the third annual Hot Wheels Legends Tour.

The Tour kicked off on March 7 in Miami, with the first date standing as the only completed stop of the tour’s anticipated 18-date U.S. run. Additional dates were postponed, with a trial virtual run taking place on May 16 hosted by Hoonigan. Now, the remainder of the tour will go virtual.

“The health and well-being of our Hot Wheels employees, customers, and fans continues to be our top priority,” said Mattel in a statement. “Due to the ongoing health concerns around COVID-19, the remaining 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour events will now happen virtually. Stay tuned for schedule updates on our upcoming virtual events and how to register to participate.”

Source: Mattel

While the news comes as a disappointment for some, it’s hardly a surprise.

The Hot Wheels Legends Tour brings together automotive enthusiasts, builders, and families in the busy parking lots of select Walmart stores. During its first two installments, the Tour attracted thousands of participants and guests in an effort to seek out real-life custom car builds with the potential to be immortalized as 1:64-scale Hot Wheels toy vehicles.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.